Decoy



(No Model.)

G. K. PRANTZ. DECOY.

No. 575.283. 4 Patented Jan. 12, 1897.

NlTED GEORGE K. FRANTZ, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

DEooY.-

SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,283, dated January 12, 1897. Application filed April, 1396. SerialNo. &336,474. (No model.)

To allwhom it may con/067%:

Be it known that I, GEORGE K. FRANTZ, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Inprovements in Decoy- Ducks and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in decoy-ducks; and my object is to provide a device of this class which shall be simple in construction, economical in cost, reliable, durable, and efficient in use, and which when not in use shall be capable of packing in small compass, whereby it may be convenently carried about.

To these ends the invention consists of the features hereinafter described and claimed, all of which will be fullyunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the decoy, the base being shown in section. This View is taken on the line oc m, Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of two decoys connected. Fig. 3 shows the decoy packed in snrall compass for carrying. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line y y, Fig. l.

Similar reference-characters indcating corresponding parts in the views, let the numeral 5 designate the base, constructed of some suitable material, as Wood, adapted to fioat on the water. This base is provided with slots centrally located and adapted to receive projections 6 formed on the sheet-metal part '6,which, as shown in the drawings, is shaped to represent the body of a duck in profile. The head 7 is constructed of the same material and is provided with a part 7 overlapping the body part and pivoted thereon, as shown at 7 The extrenity 7 d of the part 7 remote from the head is adapted to enter a slot formed by cutting a slit in the part 6 and bending the edge of the metal outward to bring the opening into the path of the point 7 This slot, in conjunction with the point 7 locks the head against further movement forward after it has reached the proper position. (See Fig. 1.)

The base 5 of each decoy is bored horizontally to receive a connecting-pin for fastening two of the decoy-chicks together. This may be resorted to and will be found eX- tremely advantageous when the wind is blowing, since the decoys connected in the manner stated cannot blow over.

When not in use, the body part G is detached from the base by pulling the projections 6 out of the slots. The head is then turned backward on its pivot to the position shown in Fig. 3, after which the body part is placed fiat upon the base and the projections 6 inserted in loops formed by fastening a piece of strap-iron 9 to the base at three points. The device is then in very compact shape, occupying but a fraction more of space than the base alone.

The advantages of this device fron a standpoint of convenience will be readily observed by all hunters accustomed to the use of decoys.

It is evdent that a decoy of this same general construction may be made to represent any fowl.

It will be understood that any desired ninnber of decoys may be connected without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isi l. In a decoy, the combination of the floatin g base,the detachable sheet-metal body part mounted on the base, and shaped to represent a water-fowl in profile, and the head pivoted on the body part and provided With a projection adapted to enter a locking-slot formed in the body part, substantially as described.

2. In a decoy, the combination of the floating base having one or more central slots, the sheet-metal body part shaped to represent the body of a water-fowl in profile, and having one or more projections adapted to enter the slots of the base, and the head pivoted on the body part and having a projection adapted to enter a locking-slot formed in the body part, the floating base being provided with loops adapted to receive the projections on the body part when the latter is placed fiat on the'base, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE K. FRANTZ..

Witnesses:

G. J. ROLLANDET, .ALFRED J. OBRIEN.

IOO 

